About

Vans

Description:Vans was launched in 1966 by Paul Van Doren with his brother James and two partners. Van Doren was aiming to make almost durable and affordable casual deck shoe in the market which eventually turned out to be the most liked shoes by youngsters, athletes and others. From its own retail store in Anaheim, California Van Doren was able to open few more stores in other places. But, the main concern was to promote those stores. Van Doren was involved in producing shoes that would match people’s dress, styles; colors .vans was also a favorite of hard-to –fit customers, who required non-standard widths and lengths. Because of this vans was able to create its own loyal customers and create international exposure within a period. In 70’s Vans was able to become the favorite brand for the skaters because of its grips and low price. Later at 80’s turbulent phase of Vans came into existence. After seeing his shoes in teenage movie called ‘Fast Times at Ridgemont High’ James Van Doren responded it by broadening Van’s product mix in an effort to grab share from Nike and Reebok.Soon,Vans was producing shoes for baseball, football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, boxing and even umpiring. This decision led Vans into bankruptcy because of high production costs, strong competition from mainstream brands and unreceptive market. Although company was able to revitalize company by ignoring the fashion and just doing as before. Again in 90’s deep recession, Gulf war, Oil shortages led to higher rubber costs made the shoes prices higher and lowered the margins. Meanwhile ‘grunge ‘fashion trends and ‘urban chick ‘replaced the surf and sun look and Vans had to close its two factories and the volatile currency of ‘cool’ no longer favored Vans.Then, in 1995, Gary Schoenfeld took over operations of Vans. He again made the brand...

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...Vans Shoes (Since 1966)
Vans, Inc. is a premier manufacturer of shoes and apparel for a target group of young and active consumers. Vans snowboarding boots and skateboarding sneakers are specifically designed for today's extreme sports culture, and are the footwear of choice among elite athletes worldwide. Through event sponsorships and a chain of skateboarding parks, Vans has made a unique booming in the youth sportswear market. The company's unflagging commitment to tracking the latest trends has put it in an excellent position to grab an even larger market share as it heads into the 21st century.
On March 16, 1966 Vans Shoe store was established by Paul Van Doren. There is a wide variety of Vans that play a role in many action sports. Style really started to come in the 1960’s when skateboarding started to become big. Skaters needed a type of shoe that was durable and affordable. Vans wanted to make shoes that were manufactured directly to the public.
Skateboarding was the main reason vans were invented. Skateboarding means a lot of different things too many people. To some people it was just a sport or game. To others skateboarding was there way of life. It was a quick and almost free get away from stress and everyone’s problems. There were different styles of skateboarding and each style used a different type of shoe. There was vert...

...VANS
What were key customer characteristics of Vans’ earliest customers and public perceptions of skateboarding during this time?
Vans’ earliest customers were surfers, high school students, mostly teenagers. They played some sports, liked practical yet fashionable and inexpensive customized shoes. Authenticity, style, affordability and quality were their main motives while buying Vans’ shoes.
It then evolved with skateboarders and their followers. Skateboarders favored Vans because of the functionality of the shoes (the rubber soles were ideal for maintaining a solid grip on the skateboard) but most importantly the price (7 dollars was a steal for this well made, customizable shoe).
At this time, skateboarding was viewed as a reckless, dangerous and hazardous sport for the general public.
How has the company’s competitive position and its value proposition changed over time?
Vans’ competitive advantage was the fact that they manufactured in the US compare to other companies at the time, they had a very short cycle time from receipt of order to completion of goods and also had an extensive range of styling. They were also pioneers in distributing to skateboarders and other alternative sports fans. They developed from early on a strong and recognizable identity.
Vans catered to skateboarders and “extreme” sports adepts and fans from the start (Surfing,...

...9-502-077
JUNE 22, 2002
YOUNGME MOON
DAVID KIRON
Vans: Skating on Air
Fourteen year-old boys have three things on their mind: sports, music, and girls. Our goal is to own the
first two . . . the third, we’ll let the kids handle on their own.
— Gary Schoenfeld, president and CEO of Vans
Early evening April 22, 2002: Gary Schoenfeld, the CEO of Vans, was standing in the middle of
the star-studded, invitation-only crowd that had turned out for the Hollywood premiere of Dogtown
and Z-Boys, a documentary about the history of skateboarding. Smiling, Schoenfeld noticed that
many in the crowd were wearing the specially-designed Dogtown shoes the company had sent to all
invitees.
Vans was best known for selling footwear and apparel to skateboarders and surfers; the company
also sold products for other alternative sports, including snowboarding, BMX bike-riding, motocross,
TM
wakeboarding, and supercross (Vans called these activities “Core Sports “; see Figure A for a
description of each sport). Vans had financed the Dogtown film at the request of one of its sponsored
athletes, skateboarding pioneer Stacy Peralta.
Now, as Schoenfeld looked over the crowd, he could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction.
After seven years at Vans, Schoenfeld had managed to turn the company around, revitalizing the
brand and transforming Vans into a $350 million business (see Exhibits 1...

...Washington Irving’s short story, “Rip Van Winkle”, tells the tale of a man unlike any other in his community. Rip Van Winkle’s village praised him for his voluntary efforts yet henpecked by his tempered wife, Dame Van Winkle. During the time of Rip Van Winkle’s life, he resided in America under King George III’s rule. Rip wakes up from a twenty year nap to find out that not only was his misery-inducing wife dead but his country was free from Great Britain. Author, Washington Irvin compares Dame Van Winkle’s dictator persona to King George III and how their dominance rises and falls within the short story. In addition, Irving displays Rip’s individual priorities by living life unshackled by society’s “standards” and doing what was in his best interest. Together these examples have pinpointed key analysis from Washington Irving’s short story.
King George III meticulously informed the people of his country that they must obey his orders without questioning his system. This brought an upheaval to the citizen’s of England who already sailed to the Americas to gain independence from the King. The King structured the society of his people to take orders and live accordingly to British norms. Within this story, Rip’s wife’s personality and disposition resembles King George III and Great Britain’s model of sovereignty. Just like King George was poorly gossiped about, villagers as well, blamed Dame for the...

...In the summer of 1881 Vincent Van Gogh asked for his cousin’s hand in marriage and was turned down. He was very insistent on seeing her and took action on this by holding his hand in a flame and holding up the words “Let me see her for as long as I can keep my hand in the flame” (Wikipedia, Letter 193 from Vincent to Theo, The Hague, May 14, 1882).
In 1885 Vincent’s father died (ArtBook: Van Gogh; A profound and tormented genius—his life in paintings, 1998).
In December of 1888, Vincent Van Gogh had been living with a fellow artist and friend, Paul Gauguin. They lived in “Yellow House”; the house that Vincent rented and had painted a picture of in September of that year. On the December 23, Van Gogh approached Gauguin with a razor blade and then left Yellow House in a panic and fled to a local brothel. This led Vincent to cut off part of his ear, which he then gave to a prostitute (Wikipedia, Rita Wildegans, 2007). Vincent spent 3 days unconscious in the hospital after that night and was released back home on January 7, 1889 (Jen Green, 2002).
In January and February Vincent was at the hospital a lot due to his hallucinations and paranoia. He thought that someone had poisoned him. In March the police closed down his house after a petition was signed by some of the locals and then was admitted into the town hospital in Arles (New World Encyclopedia, 2008).
Vincent reported once to his brother Theo that looking...

...Abstract
I am looking at the possible meaning of “Rip Van Winkle” and why Washington Irving may have written it. What was the purpose of this story?
Rip Van Winkle
I believe that Washington Irving’s purpose for writing “Rip Van Winkle” was to show a progression of aging and how easy it can be for the elderly to become disconnected with an advancing world.
Rip Van Winkle starts off by leading a rather laid back life. He does basically what he wants to do, as long as he is away from his home, and helping other with jobs that they needed done. His life is simple, but his own, until he gets within earshot of his wife. The Dame Van Winkle is the true ruler of the roost. She was always after Rip to do more for them and their needs instead of doing jobs for others. The dog, Wolf, did not even have a chance around her. I believe this is done to show that there was a more laid back lifestyle and as time progresses, life becomes more and more fast paced and hectic. I think that even when Irving wrote this story there was a change in lifestyles just as we have seen a change. Look back in our own lifetime and there have been a world of changes. Can you remember when everything was closed on Sunday? It does not take long for society to change and I believe that this is a good symbol of this.
When we get to the part of Rip going up on the mountain and helping the man carry the barrel,...

...﻿Mikala Jeffery
Mr. Thomas
Language 11th, 3rd period
10 May 2014
Ludwig Van Beethoven
Beethoven! He lived from 1770-1827, and wrote 75 pieces of music. He wrote 9 symphonies, seven concertos, 17 string quartets, 32 piano sonatas, and ten sonatas for the violin and piano (How many…). “Beethoven is a renowned composer of classical music and is branded as one of the greatest composers of all time.” (How many…) Beethoven was the most talented composer of all time.
From an early age, Beethoven has taken and interest in music. “His father was a musician at the court of Bonn.” (Biography). His father taught him day and night. “Without a doubt, the child was gifted and his father Johann envisioned creating a new Mozart, a child prodigy.” (Biography) Everything Beethoven was learning as a child, made him become who we all know today, a very talented musician.
On March 26th 1776, when Beethoven was seven and a half years old, he gave his first public performance at Cologne (Biography). “In 1782, before the age of twelve, Beethoven published his first work, 9 Variations in C Minor for piano.” (Biography) One of Beethoven’s teachers, Neefe, once said, “If he continues like this, he will be without a doubt, the new Mozart.” (Biography) When Beethoven was 14 years old, he was appointed organist of the court of Maximillian Franz, Elector of Cologne (Biography).
Although today we find this work classical, and close to the works of Mozart and Haydn, at the time...

...﻿
Rip Van Winkle
Michael W. Munson
Indiana Wesleyan University
LIT 242
Monday, February 3, 2014
I have read and understand the plagiarism policy as outlined in the syllabus and the sections in the IWU Catalog relating to the IWU Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I certify that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act/s, which could include expulsion from Indiana Wesleyan University.
Rip Van Winkle
In 1819, an American author named Washington Irving wrote a short story titled “Rip Van Winkle”, which even today is a well-loved and often read story. Set in the years during the American Revolutionary War the story depicts Rip, his wife Dame, Rip Jr, and a host of other characters. Rip was a man that hated work and wandered off into the mountains only to realize he has wasted away twenty years of his life. This story was found after the death of Washington so it is impossible for us to truly know the exact purpose and intent he had in writing this story. I believe that Washington Irving’s purpose for writing ‘Rip Van Winkle’ was to show people the risk in wasting away your life with alcohol and lack of motivation.
The storyline theme is that of a lazy and...